Modern restorative dental medicine would be unimaginable without resin composites. Composites are used to compensate for lost hard tooth tissue, due to carious lesions and trauma, to correct discolorations and morphological abnormalities, to make labial veneers and indirect restorations - inlays, onlays and overlays. They are also used in other branches of dental medicine. The daily use of composites has been made possible by the discovery and development of adhesion systems and polymerization devices. Composite materials consist of an organic matrix, inorganic filler particles and an interstitial binder, with the addition of polymerization initiators and inhibitors, colour stabilizers and pigments. There are several classifications of composites, most commonly used is the one according to clinical application. We distinguish composite materials for preventive sealing of fissures and pits, high-viscosity composites that are considered universal materials because they are used in both front and rear segments, liquid composites used for minimally invasive preparations and as a substrate, bulk composites that can be placed in cavities and in layers up to 4 mm thick, laboratory composites, battalion composites, composites for temporary restorations and compomers. Today, composite materials with bioactive properties can be found on the market, which with their remineralization effect, reduce the harmful effects of polymerization shrinkage and prevent the occurrence of secondary caries. The goal is to create a bioactive, self-adhering composite material with incorporated antibacterial agents in the near future.